MOT boom fades in February

MOT bookings have almost doubled over the last six months, according to BookMyGarage.

It found bookings for just MOTs rose by 63%, while combined MOT and service bookings more than doubled.

The DVSA issued a six-month MOT extension to all vehicles due a test between 30 March and 31 July last year as part of measures designed to help reduce the spread of Covid-19 during the first lockdown. But February signals the end of the MOT boom as the tests for all vehicles eligible for the extension will have now been conducted.

Karen Rotberg, co-founder of BookMyGarage.com, said: “The last six months have proved to be extremely busy for garages who have worked hard to accommodate both MOTs which were extended and those that are normally due at that time of the year.

“It’s important to remember that it’s not just a case of doing MOTs, it’s also the servicing and repair work that accompanies the majority of tests. In fact, we had more than double the number of combined MOT and service bookings than we did for just MOTs.

“The second quarter of 2021 will be challenging for garages, with millions of MOTs effectively now not taking place during these months. That said, it’s worth remembering that three-year-old cars which are due their first MOT test this year, and were first registered between April and June, will help recover some of the work lost during this difficult period.”